- US Congress passed the Quad bill to enhance cooperation.
- The Strengthening the ‘Quad’ Act has been passed by the US House of Representatives.
- The legislation’s main aim is to intensify cooperation between India, US, Japan and Australia in the Indo-Pacific.
- A Quad Intra-Parliamentary Working Group will be also formed. The US Secretary of State will have to submit the status of Quad’s activities within 180 days.
- A strategy for bolstering cooperation has been also discussed in the Congress.
- This bill was introduced by House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Gregory Meeks.
- Congress states that the US should expand dialogue and cooperation through Quad.
Quad
- The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD) is commonly known as the Quad.
- It is a group of India, Australia, Japan, and the United States with a commitment to work for a free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
- In 2007, the group met for the first time on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
- It is seen as a strategic grouping to reduce Chinese domination.